1. Technical Field
Aspects of this invention relate generally to cleaning devices, and more particularly to mops and related equipment.
2. Background Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,127,886 to Plon discloses a stick-handled appliance for the care (mopping, cleaning, waxing or the like) of floors and stairs, the appliance being characterized by the fact that while the stick is attached by means of a removable stick fastening plate to the body of the appliance, the latter is provided on its upper side with a handle which protrudes through a slot in the stick fastening plate and at the same time forms part of a fastening device which provides an easily releasable attachment of the stick fastening plate to the body of the appliance, and which when released permits the removal of the stick fastening plate and the use of the appliance by means of the said grasp handle. The appliance is further advantageously provided with means enabling a cloth wrapped round the body of the appliance to be held when the appliance is used by means of the handle. These means comprise a cloth holding plate separate from the appliance, which is so constructed that after the stick fastening plate has been removed, it can be secured to the body of the appliance by the fastening device, in order to hold the cloth in its working position by clamping the ends of the cloth wrapped over the body of the appliance.
U.S. Pat. No. D228,339 to Zemke discloses a design for a pad holding device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,810 to Gessert discloses a grill cleaning apparatus including a body for detachably retaining a scouring pad. The body is provided with a “grasp” that may be grabbed by one or both hands to manipulate the body and scouring pad on a surface that requires cleaning. Alternatively, an elongated handle may be detachably and adjustable secured to the “grasp” so as distance the operator's hands from a hot grill that requires cleaning. Detachable tine means are mounted on the body and are manipulable to enable application of a scouring pad on the tine means, or removal of a scouring pad therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,705 to Ingram discloses a ratchet-like coupling mechanism (20) for releaseably coupling a cleaning head (22) to a handle (24). The mechanism (20) comprises a handle adaptor (28), a sleeve (30), an engagement arm (32), and an engagement wheel (34). Where a liquid delivering handle (24) is used, the handle adaptor (28) operates to adapt the mechanism (20) to avoid interfering with the liquid flowpath. The handle adaptor (28) may be eliminated where a solid handle is used. The sleeve (30) secures to the handle adaptor (28) or directly to the handle, and supports the engagement arm (32). The engagement wheel (34) is secured to the head (22). The arm (32) and wheel (34) present oppositely biased teeth (56,57) allowing the adaptor (28) or handle to be threadably coupled with the head (22), but which must be disengaged, by actuating the arm (32), to uncouple the head (22) from the handle (24).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,213 to Post discloses a window cleaning apparatus which includes a handle, a paddle and a cleaning element. The paddle is removably attachable to the handle. The cleaning element is one of a plurality of interchangeable bodies, each having one major surface engagable with one major surface of a paddle and side edges having elastic mounted thereon to draw the ends of the side edges of the body inward to form an opening smaller than the outer diameter of the paddle to releasably attach the cleaning element about the paddle. A first pair of receivers are mounted on each paddle and pivotally receive one end of the handle. A second pair of receivers, mounted in conjunction with the first pair of receivers on a paddle or as a separate element on a paddle, receive a second handle. In one aspect, the cleaning apparatus forms a cleaning system including a plurality of handles, a plurality of paddles and a plurality of cleaning elements releasably interconnectable into a cleaning apparatus formed of one handle, one cleaning element and one paddle.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0182751 to White discloses a faux painting tool including a tubular handle, planer body and an application surface. The handle is rotatable and extendable to provide versatility and user comfort. The handle rotates about a first end having a circular dowel rotatably engaged by two spaced parallel couplings. A second end of the handle is removably engaged by a semi-circular carrier member having an opening for insertion of a portion of the handle. A telescoping elongated unit is slidably positioned over the tubular handle. Pressing spring biased pins permits the telescoping unit to be adjusted along a length of the tubular handle thereby lengthening the handle. A handle end includes a threaded aperture for receiving a threaded pole extension. Application material, including lamb's wool, is removably attached to a body of the tool by means of hook and loop fasteners attached to the material and a back surface of the tool's body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,795,999 to Post et al discloses a window cleaning apparatus which includes a handle, a paddle and a cleaning element. The paddle is removably attachable to the handle. The paddle has a peripheral edge defined in part by opposed first and second ends. The paddle has an arcuate shape between the first and second ends. The cleaning element is one of a plurality of interchangeable bodies, each having one major surface engagable with one major surface of a paddle and side edges having elastic mounted thereon to draw the ends of the side edges of the body inward to form an opening smaller than the outer diameter of the paddle to releasably attach the cleaning element about the paddle. In one aspect, the cleaning apparatus forms a cleaning system including a plurality of handles, a plurality of paddles and a plurality of cleaning elements releasably interconnectable into a cleaning apparatus formed of one handle, one cleaning element and one paddle.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0048318 to Goh et al. discloses a cleaning implement provided for cleaning surfaces with a cleaning substrate. The cleaning implement includes a handle Connected via a universal joint to a mop head. The mop head includes a bumper pad, which is made of a deformable and nonabsorbent material. The bumper pad can be deformed in the Z direction and within the X-Y plane. The cleaning implement can also include a motor for causing a portion of the mop head to move relative to the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,150,063 to Graham discloses a vehicle washing mitt for covering vehicle washing brushes, such as those at self-service car washes. The mitt is shaped to effectively cover the vehicle washing brush while it is in use. The material used to form the mitt has a soft fibrous external outside and is secured on to the brush with a fastener. Methods of washing a vehicle by using the mitt are also disclosed.
The prior art described above teaches a stick-handled appliance for the care of floors and stairs, a pad holding device, a grill cleaning apparatus incorporating detachable handle and holder for removable scouring pad, a ratchet mechanism for connecting a cleaning head to a handle, a vehicle window cleaning apparatus and system, a faux painting tool, a cleaning apparatus and system, a multi-surfaces cleaning implement, and a vehicle wash mitt, but does not teach a multi-purpose mop system including a mop with selectively removable cleaning materials and extension handle and a specially configured bucket with a multi-position bucket handle for effectively working in conjunction with and wringing the mop. Aspects of the present invention fulfill these needs and provide further related advantages as described in the following disclosure.